Page 27 of Gumbo, Ghosts, and Deadly Deception
Ginger's phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and her expression tightened almost imperceptibly.
"Well, I should run. But Harper—" She gripped my arm with surprising strength. "Do be careful. If someone killed Delia to keep her quiet about Francine, they won't hesitate to do the same to you."
“That seems to be the general consensus,” I said.
Ginger squeezed my arm harder, her face a mask of disgust. When I tried to tug my arm back, she suddenly released me and I stumbled slightly. She swept out of the kitchen, leaving behind the uncomfortable feeling that I'd just been threatened.
After I heard the front door close, I double-checked the locks and turned to find Teddy sitting in the exact spot where Ginger had been standing, his tail twitched with agitation.
For a woman who claimed to have come over to check on me, she’d left me feeling more uncomfortable than when she’d arrived.
"Yeah, I didn't like her attitude either," I told him. "But right now, we have bigger problems. Like finding out what's behind this wall."
The brass key from behind the baseboard was in a kitchen drawer. I pulled it out and examined it more closely. It was definitely old. Probably nineteenth century. It had an ornate bow that featured a small fleur-de-lis design. The kind of key that might open a door, or a drawer, or maybe a hidden compartment.
I went back to the section of wall where Teddy had been scratching. It was a full four feet over from the section Maggie and I had thought looked like a patched doorframe. The wood had been painted over multiple times, but the seams were still there if you knew where to look.
"There's definitely something back there," I murmured.
I pressed on different sections of the paneling until I found a spot that gave more than the rest. When I pushed on it, there was a soft click, and a section of the wall swung inward about an inch.
"A hidden door," I breathed. "Aunt Odette, you should have told me."
I pushed it open further, revealing a narrow space that had clearly once been a passageway. It was dusty and cobwebbed, with rough brick walls and a low ceiling that would require me to duck to enter. But it was definitely passable.
Teddy immediately waddled forward, clearly not intimidated, his squawks echoing off the brick walls.
If I had hesitated on my own, I certainly couldn’t now. I had to make sure Teddy didn’t get into trouble. I followed him, using my phone's flashlight to navigate the cramped space. The passage extended about ten feet before opening into a small room that was maybe eight by eight feet.
Either this room was used for bootlegged liquor during Prohibition or it was a former owner’s escape room.
Against one wall was a wooden cabinet, its doors hanging open to reveal empty shelves. Against another wall was a small desk with a ladder-back chair tucked beneath it.
And scattered across the desk were papers.
My heart pounded as I approached. The papers were yellowed with age and covered in Aunt Odette's distinctive handwriting.
My aunt’s escape room, then. But why was she coming into this room to hide? Was she hiding herself or something else?
At the top of the first page, in faded blue ink, were the words: Bergeron Circle - Private Records - 1983-1984.
I sank into the chair and began to read.
October 15, 1983 The Circle welcomed a new member tonight - Mary Vallon, barely nineteen but with remarkable sensitivity to spiritual emanations. Francine sponsored her membership, as they've become close friends since Mary's arrival in the city. Lena expressed some reservations about Mary's age and emotional stability, but I overruled her. The girl has genuine talent.
October 30, 1983 Disturbing session tonight. Mary made contact with a spirit who claimed to be a young woman named Catherine Tran, missing since last spring. The spirit was agitated, insisting she'd been murdered by "a man with a badge." When pressed for details, the connection was broken. None of us had heard of Catherine Tran, but Francine volunteered to research missing persons reports.
November 12, 1983 Francine's research is troubling. Catherine Tran was indeed reported missing in April, but the case was closed after only two weeks of investigation. Listed as a probable runaway, despite having no history of such behavior. F's begun keeping her own files.
December 3, 1983 The Circle has uncovered evidence of a pattern. At least six young women have disappeared from the Quarter, Bywater, and Marigny over the past two years. All cases closed quickly, all dismissed as runaways or voluntary disappearances. Francine believes there's a systematic cover-up. She's documented connections between some of the missing women and properties owned by Pelican Development Group.
January 18, 1984 Mary reported being followed yesterday. A man in a dark car trailing behind her as she walked for several blocks. Francine says she's noticed the same car near campus. We agreed that all Circle members should vary their routines and travel in pairs when possible.
February 18, 1984 Crisis. Francine attended a city council meeting about the urban renewal project in the Marigny. During the public comment period, she asked pointed questions about Pelican Development's acquisition methods. After the meeting, she was approached by a man who warned her to "mind her own business."
February 20, 1984 Emergency session tonight. Francine is terrified but determined to expose what she's discovered. She believes the missing women are all connected, and that high-ranking city officials are involved. She's compiled evidence but doesn't trust the police. We agreed to conduct a protection ritual tomorrow night.
February 21, 1984 The protection ritual failed catastrophically. During the séance, Francine made contact with what she believed was Catherine Tran's spirit. But something went wrong. The spirit became violent, throwing objects around the room. In the chaos, we heard footsteps in the house. Men's voices. We managed to get Francine to the hidden room, but they knew she was here.
